A MAN was knocked to the ground by a bull while walking on a public footpath at the weekend wants to warn other walkers to take care.

Matthew Butler was walking between Great Chalfield Manor and Holt with his wife on Saturday when the couple were charged by what he thought was a Jersey bull, which was in the field with cows.

Mr Butler, of Acton Turville, Gloucestershire, was knocked to the ground and winded, but did not suffer any serious injuries.

The 57-year-old said: “It was quite a scary experience and thankfully I wasn’t badly injured.

“The most annoying thing is that it’s a well-used footpath with children and pets frequently using it.

“We were able to get out of the field before the bull did any serious damage but it could have been a lot worse if it was a child or dog that was charged at.

“Hopefully it has been taken away, but I still want to alert people that they need to keep an eye out.

“I don’t think I’ll be taking part in the Pamplona encierro in a hurry.”

It is not known who owns the bull but the National Farmers Union does offer advice to farmers.

A spokesman said: “Farmers know their livestock and are best placed to assess the risks posed by their animals.

“They take their responsibilities extremely seriously and are mindful of their duty of care to those who use public rights of way.

“The NFU publishes guidance on practical measures that farmers can take to minimise the risk of incidents, which is kept in line with legal developments and HSE guidance.”

From 2006 to 2011 the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) reported 56 cases in which members of the public were injured by cattle – eight of which were fatal.

Section 59 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 bans keeping bulls in fields crossed by a right of way, unless they are under the age of 10 months or not of a recognised dairy breed.